What should middle school children do if they keep playing with their phones

Middle school children addicted to mobile phones can be guided through setting rules, transferring interests, family interaction, role models, professional interventions, and other methods. Excessive use of mobile phones may affect learning efficiency, sleep quality, and social skills, and parents need to intervene in a timely manner.

1. Develop rules

Negotiate with children on the daily usage duration and scenarios of mobile phones, such as using them for 1 hour after completing homework, and prohibiting their use during meals and before bedtime. Clearly define the consequences of violations and persist in their execution, with the initial assistance of mobile management software for control. The rules need to be followed by the whole family to avoid double standards that weaken the binding force.

2. Transfer interests

Help children develop offline hobbies such as sports and art creation, and arrange activities such as hiking or visiting museums on weekends. Provide entertainment options that replace electronic products, such as board games, musical instruments, etc., gradually reducing emotional dependence on mobile phones. Pay attention to choosing interest directions that match the child's personality traits.

3. Family Interaction

Increase parent-child time and regularly organize non electronic interactions such as family book clubs and cooking activities. Parents should actively listen to their children's school life and avoid seeking emotional comfort through mobile phones. Create a mobile phone free environment, such as setting daily family communication time slots.

4. Role Model Demonstration

Parents should reduce the frequency of using their phones in front of their children and avoid behaviors such as watching videos while eating. Showcase healthy leisure activities such as paper reading and handmade crafts, and convey the concept of moderate use of electronic products through examples. The whole family can sign an electronic device usage agreement together.

5. Professional Intervention

If accompanied by severe symptoms such as emotional outbursts and aversion to learning, a psychological counselor can be sought to assess whether there is a tendency towards internet addiction. School psychologists can assist in developing behavior correction plans and, if necessary, use cognitive-behavioral therapy to improve dependency. Avoid simply confiscating mobile phones and exacerbating parent-child conflicts. Parents need to understand the psychological need of adolescent children to obtain peer recognition through mobile phones, in order to avoid strong prohibitions that may trigger rebellion. Encourage children to record their daily mobile phone usage and cultivate self-management awareness. Regularly communicate with school teachers about academic performance and collaborate to guide children to balance learning and entertainment. Pay attention to whether the avoidance of reality is caused by academic pressure or social difficulties, and provide emotional support in a timely manner. In the long run, cultivating time management skills and intrinsic learning motivation is more effective than simply restricting mobile phones.